A policeman has died in riots that have broken out following the discovery of the bodies of three ethnic leaders in Pakistan's Balochistan province.

The policeman was killed by protesters' gunfire in the town of Khuzdar.

Protesters say the three Baloch nationalist leaders were detained by security forces last Friday and had been missing since.

There has been a long-waged insurgency in Balochistan for a greater share of natural resources and more autonomy.

Set on fire

The mutilated and decomposed bodies of the three leaders were found by police before dawn near Turbat.

The three were named as Ghullam Muhammad Baloch, Lala Munir Baloch and Sher Muhammad Bugti.

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Balochistan's worsening situation

The BBC's Azizullah Khan in Quetta says Ghullam Muhammad Baloch was a leader of his own faction of the Balochistan National Movement and a key member of the committee set up to try to secure the release of abducted UN worker John Solecki, who was freed last Saturday.

Sher Muhammad Bugti was a leader of the Balochistan Republican Party.

The three were allegedly detained last Friday by security forces from the offices of a lawyer in Turbat who represents opposition parties in Balochistan.

After the bodies were found riots broke out in provincial capital Quetta, Khuzdar and a number of towns in the Makran division.

A number of banks and offices have been set on fire.

In Quetta, three policemen were injured when a grenade was thrown at a police van.

Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed to control the riots and tear gas has been fired at protesters in Quetta.

Police spokesman Ayaz Baloch told the BBC an investigation was under way but it was unclear who carried out the killings.

Opposition activists had been demonstrating since the leaders disappeared on Friday, setting up a protest camp outside the press club in Quetta.

In August 2006, Balochistan experienced widespread rioting and strikes after the killing of tribal leader Nawab Akbar Bugti. Hundreds were arrested.

Writing recently on Balochistan, BBC columnist Ahmed Rashid pointed to the worsening situation in the province, where the wide-ranging political and economic grievances of the alienated Baloch people have remained largely forgotten and unaddressed.

QUETTA - Riots erupted in Balochistan that left a policeman dead and several others injured Thursday, as public anger boiled over following the murder of three nationalist politicians.
News of the killings sparked protests and violent riots in several cities across Balochistan.
The mutilated bodies of the nationalist Baloch leaders, who, supporters alleged, were picked up by intelligence agents in Turbat on April 4, were found dumped in a remote location on the outskirts of the southwest town, a party official said.
The leaders were President Baloch National Movement Ghulam Muhammad Baloch, member of Central Executive Committee of party Lala Munir Baloch and Central leader of Baloch Republican Party (BRP) Sher Muhammad Baloch.
According to police sources, the bodies of the slain leaders were recovered from a rural mountainous area of Paidarek some 40 kilometres away from Turbat town and were shifted to a hospital where they were identified by their kins.
They were allegedly whisked away by personnel of the secret agencies in plain-clothes from the chamber of Kachkol Ali Advocate, the former Opposition leader of Balochistan Assembly on April 4.
After the autopsy, the bodies were handed over to the heirs and were carried to their ancestral towns.
Ghulam Muhammad Baloch and Sher Muhammad Baloch were laid to rest at Mand while Lala Munir was buried at Punjgur.
Ghulam Muhammad was also a member of ‘Baloch Dost Committee’ which was formed for the recovery of missing Baloch men and women and he had played a vital role in the release of UNCHR official John Solecki.
The killing of three Baloch nationalist leaders sparked public outrage throughout the province.
Furious protesters took to the streets in Quetta and several other towns of Balochistan. Angry mobs in Quetta set ablaze six vehicles at Sariab Road, Brewery Road and Sheikh Manda while a shop and a bank were also set on fire.
All markets and business activities came to a standstill at Sariab Road and Brewry Road as rioters started pelting stones at private vehicles and forced the shopkeepers to close down their businesses.
Balochistan Bar Association boycotted the court proceedings and took out a protest rally led by President Supreme Court Bar Association Ali Ahmad Kurd and other lawyers. After marching through various roads they gathered outside Quetta Press Club and strongly condemned killing of the Baloch leaders.
They announced to observe three-day mourning over the tragic incident and a complete boycott of courts on April 13.
Heavy contingents of police, Frontier Corps, Balochistan Constabulary and other law-enforcement agencies were deployed at different sensitive areas in Quetta to thwart any untoward incident.
Police at Sariab Road and Brewery Road resorted to tear gas to disperse the protesters and arrested around two dozen activists on charges of ransacking from Quetta and other towns.

Two police personnel were injured in Quetta at Eastern Bypass when unknown persons hurled a hand-grenade at a police van. The injured head constable Ghulam Ali and driver Naeem Akbar were shifted to the hospital.
Protest rallies and shutterdown strikes were also observed in Turbat, Gwadar, Naushki, Hub, Mashkay, Awaran, Kalat, Khuzdar and other towns against the killings.
Infuriated mobs set on fire a utility store and a bank in Khuzdar. They burnt tyres and erected barricades on national highways to block traffic, which caused great difficulties to the commuters.
A police constable identified as Ahmad was shot dead by unknown persons in Khuzdar when unknown armed people opened fire on him.
Protesters pelted stones at DCO office in Gwadar while schools and banks were forced to close down working in Kalat.
A protest rally and complete strike was observed in Punjgur where angry mobs burnt and ransacked many offices including district offices of Pakistan People’s Party, Balochistan National Party (BNP-Awami), a post office and a rest house.
Protest rally and shutterdown was also observed in Kharan where police arrested six rioters.
University of Balochistan Quetta has been closed for next three days while exams have also been postponed. Education Minister also announced that schools and colleges of Quetta and other restive districts would remain closed for two days.
Balochistan Governor Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, Chief Minister Aslam Raisani and Speaker Balochistan Muhammad Aslam Bhootani have strongly condemned the killing of the Baloch leaders.
The Chief Minister constituted a three-member judicial tribunal headed by a judge of Balochistan High Court to probe into the killings.
He appealed to the public to remain calm, saying that that killing of Baloch leaders was a conspiracy to sabotage reconciliation process in the province.
Addressing a Press conference at Press Club, Senior Vice-President National Party, Senator Hasil Bizenjo alleged that three leaders were brutally killed and thrown by personnel of secret agencies some six days back.
He said that such incidents were aimed at compelling Baloch people to take guns in their hands. He appealed all Baloch parties to gather on a single platform to start a joint struggle against usurpers. He said that they would offer funeral prayers of Baloch leaders on Friday (today).
Meanwhile, Balochistan National Front (BNF) has given a strike call for April 11 and 12 while Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) has also given a strike call on April 12.
In Mastung a doctor, Sirajul Haq, was seriously injured when armed assailants opened fire at him, police said.
The armed attackers opened fire at the doctor, who was passing from Mastung. He received eight bullet wounds and was referred to Quetta in a serious condition, police said, adding that the armed men fled from the scene.
Angry protesters set on fire offices of three private banks in tehsil Mand, the native town of one of the slain nationalist leaders Ghulam Muhammad Baloch.

The protestors gathered in the border town staged protest demonstration against the killings. During demonstration the unruly mob attacked various government and private buildings, smashed their windowpanes and set ablaze offices of Habib Bank Limited, Allied Bank Limited and United Bank Limited.
“At least five government vehicles and a UN vehicle were set on fire by the rioters in Quetta,” senior police official Rasool Bakhsh Rind said.
Meanwhile, eight people including an eight-year-old boy were injured after a bomb planted near a mosque went off in Hub, industrial town of Balochistan on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, Balochistan High Court took suo moto notice of killing of three Baloch leaders in Turbat.
A bench comprising BHC Chief Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai and Justice Kelosh Noth Kohli took the suo moto notice on reports of killing of Ghulam Muhammad Baloch, Lala Munir Baloch and Sher Muhammad Baloch whose bodies were thrown away after killing.
The court issued notices to Home Secretary Balochistan, DPO Kech, DPO Panjgur and SHO concerned. The court also summoned record of Session Court Turbat which had granted bail to the deceased persons. The court directed that all concerned be present in the court on April16 along with investigation officer of the case.
Meanwhile, at least three people were injured in a landmine blast in Loti area of Dera Bugti on Thursday.
As per reports reaching here, a vehicle rolled on a landmine laid by unknown people in Loti area. As a result, three people suffered injuries and were rushed to hospital. Police have registered a case against unknown persons.
At least 12 people sustained injuries in a hand grenade attack and firing incidents in Hub and Mastung district on Thursday.
According to police sources, two unidentified persons riding a motorcycle hurled a hand-grenade at Seerat Chowk in Hub industrial town of Balochistan and escaped from the scene after the attack.
The grenade exploded with a huge explosion. Resultantly, 11 persons sustained injuries. They were shifted to hospital where condition of three injured is stated to be serious.
In yet another similar incident, unknown people lobbed a hand-grenade at a house in Killi Bangulzai area in Quetta. No loss of life occurred in the grenade attack. However, windowpanes of the house shattered due to the explosion.
Meanwhile, spokesman of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) Bebaarg Baloch, calling from unspecified location claimed the responsibility of attack on Sirajul Haq and killing of a member of secret agency in Khuzdar district.
APP adds: A spokesman of ISPR has said that the brutal murder of political leaders and workers of Balochistan in Turbat is highly regrettable.
“We consider this an act of anti-state element out to destabilize and undermine the reconciliatory efforts of the government,” he said.
Pakistan Armed Forces support all efforts of the government to bring peace and normalcy in the province of Balochistan. It is unfortunate and not in the interest of the country to make serious allegations on security agencies without knowing the fact and evidence, he said.
The government has ordered a judicial inquiry of the incident. It will be in the interest of of every one to wait for the findings of judicial inquiry, the spokesman concluded.

Pakistan (AFP) – Riots erupted in southwest Pakistan that left one policeman dead on Thursday, as public anger boiled over following the murder of three Baluch nationalist politicians, officials said.

The mutilated bodies of the dissident politicians, who supporters said were picked up by intelligence agents in Turbat on April 2, were found dumped in a remote location on the outskirts of the southwest town, a party official said.

The victims were identified as the head of the Baluchistan National Party (BNP), Ghulam Mohammad Baloch, his deputy Lala Munir Baloch and Sher Mohammad of the Baluchistan Republican Party, according to the official.

"Security agencies picked them up on April 2 and they had been missing since then," Asif Baluch, spokesman of the BNP, told reporters.

The late BNP chief played an important role in helping to secure the release of kidnapped American UN official John Solecki two months after he was snatched in the Baluchistan capital Quetta, he said.

Solecki was released Saturday and was purported to have been held by the little-known Baluchistan Liberation United Front.

News of the killings sparked protests and violent riots in several cities across restive southwest Baluchistan province, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, which is rife with militant and sectarian violence.

The riots left a policeman dead in the town of Khuzdar.

"A policeman was shot dead by a mob who were damaging government buildings," senior police official Ghulam Ali Lashari told AFP.

"Now the situation is under control after paramilitary forces were called in to help police restore law and order," Lashari said.

In Quetta, youths set fire to a UN car and two buses, police official Abdul Rahim told AFP during riots on the southern edge of the city.

An AFP photographer saw a UN vehicle set alight.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds as protesters blocked roads, including the main artery linking Quetta to the southern port city of Karachi, an AFP reporter said.

We must actively support the Baluchistan cause because it creates instability in Pakistan and serves to keep them occupied...

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Having a stable Pakistan is our utmost requirement, in the meanwhile we must actively support increase of our HUMINT capability in Pakistan, so that we are able to target the rogue ISI, LeT, HuM and AQ assets in Pakistan. There is merit in crying hoarse about Pakistan's support for terrorism but no point in retaliating in kind.
We cannot afford to interfere in Balochistan not at the cost of leaving terrorists a free run on our western borders and not at the cost off pissing of Iran (Afghanistan-US too) and not at the cost of being branded in a category similar to Pakistan's at the moment.

As for the latest new is concerned I can feel there may be again an uprising for Baloch cause is waiting to happen. As the area with its vast mineral resource, including oil and gas reserve and precious metals including gold, copper still remains under developed,more over the people there have resentment against Punjabi dominated Pak rule in that region. I fear that this incident will be another blow for the current govt. in Pakistan.

We must actively support the Baluchistan cause because it creates instability in Pakistan and serves to keep them occupied...

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EM, I agree with Singhji on this point, though we have an enemy in our western border, but a stable Pakistan is for all of our interest. As there is nuke and its delivery system is in Pakistan, a weak Pakistan will neither be able to control that defence resources including the hardware, more than that how many times the US can guarantee the safety of Pak nukes in case of that , there is doubt that actually how much will they be successful and if these whole or in part (defence resources) fells in the control of rough elements, then it is simply trouble sum. A weak disintegrated lawless Pakistan means human problem , that is the influx of refugees, which simply we can not allow to be happened.

Again , there is a relation in between India and Iran now, as both of us along with Russia mulling the way of tackling Taliban . The violent activity by Jundallah in Sistan and Baluchistan province is really a headache for Iran ,as specially Jundallah targeting IRGC and police and also civilians. They are doing that for their 'goal' of 'their interest' in Iran and the Sunni population of Sistan and Baluchistan have resentment against Persi dominated Shia rule of Tehran, the USA is accused of covertly supporting Jundallah which is banned by both Iran and Pakistan. The province Sistan and Baluchistan is under developed.

In my opinion the active support to Baluchistan now can negatively impact our relation with Iran and at the same time can bring together Pakistan and Iran.

QUETTA: The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the killing of six people whose bodies were recovered from Quetta's Margat area on Saturday, DawnNews quoted a BLA spokesman as saying.

Latest reports said two more people were killed in firing incidents, one of them on Quetta's Kirani road. While another two were injured during firing in the city's Jinnah town.

A shutter down strike was being observed in Quetta, Khuzdar, Kalat, Panjgur, Awaran, Kharan, Noshki, Turbat and other parts of Balochistan against the recent killings of three Baloch nationalist leaders.

Strict security measures were in place across Balochistan to avert any untoward incident as political activists blocked the Quetta-Karachi national highway at Kalat, police sources said.

Separately, police detonated an explosive device planted at a roadside on the Quetta-Karachi RCD highway in Khuzdar district's Wadh tehsil.

In Turbat, a mob set the Pakistam Muslim League - Quaid's office, the district nazim's office, an old museum and a bank on fire. While in Noshki, the new district jail building was set alight, police told DawnNews.

Violence continued in other parts of Balochistan as well. In Dera Bugti's Loti area, three rockets were fired at a security forces checkpoint, officials told DawnNews. However, no casualties were reported from this incident.

Meanwhile, an angry mob set on fire a zakat office and other official buildings in Panjgur.

Separately, the Balochistan Bar Association will boycott courts across the province on April 13 on the call of President Supreme Court Bar Association Ali Ahmed Kurd to condemn the nationalists' killings, Baz Mohammad Kakar of the BBA said.

The BBA has also demanded the unconditional release of all detained political workers and the recovery of Balochistan's missing persons, Kakar said.

If we pitch in to help and stabilize Pakistan and if it even succeeds, there is no guarantee that the terror tap into places like Punjab, Rajasthan and Kashmir will be even shut off. For all you know, they will defeat the "Taliban" and let forces like the LeT, JeM and other anti-India terrorists continue to operate because they serve Pakistan's interests...

There have been umpteen number of times when Pakistan has promised to do something and has never delivered. So, if he is promising now for the hundredth time that he is going to shut down terror camps, one can only look at it with suspicion and mistrust because the track record doesn't look very promising to say the least...

So, what is in it for India?? If Pakistan is back to the pink of health, their terror export into India will also be back to its pink of health...

So, the only option that I can think of is to pit the Pakistanis one against the other due to their racial and ethnic differences and watch the fun... IMHO this is less harm to us...

If we pitch in to help and stabilize Pakistan and if it even succeeds, there is no guarantee that the terror tap into places like Punjab, Rajasthan and Kashmir will be even shut off. For all you know, they will defeat the "Taliban" and let forces like the LeT, JeM and other anti-India terrorists continue to operate because they serve Pakistan's interests...

There have been umpteen number of times when Pakistan has promised to do something and has never delivered. So, if he is promising now for the hundredth time that he is going to shut down terror camps, one can only look at it with suspicion and mistrust because the track record doesn't look very promising to say the least...

So, what is in it for India?? If Pakistan is back to the pink of health, their terror export into India will also be back to its pink of health...

So, the only option that I can think of is to pit the Pakistanis one against the other due to their racial and ethnic differences and watch the fun... IMHO this is less harm to us...

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completely agree with you and the real solution to the problem lies in having 3 different states than one pakistan to deal with which presently high on its drugged ethos and ideology will only try and bite us back once they are back on their feet, even today they keep daring us. they are down and out and now is the time to collaborate with forces which intend to dismember this country, as it is they are deeply divided on ethnic and regional lines and there is a power struggle going on so that makes the job that much more easy and then try and establish a government which props up under our influence and which acts as a counter weight to the left out pakistan. it is not only in our strategic interest but also in our energy security interests to have a separate baluchistan for the enormous natural resources they have. with this dismemberment we should also try and get back PoK which not only is a source of our direct connection with central asia which again is an area rich in natural resources but this also ensures that the left out pakistan has no land based direct connection with prc and the divided families of kashmir can again come together and live together. once we reach a situation where the threat of dismemberment of pak is real then US and their allies will all flock to pak in the hunt for their nukes and real danger to our security would then have been taken care off. the sooner it is done the better.